A lucky Barça with Xavi triumphs at La Cerámica
The azulgranas achieve a suffered first victory at home against a Villarreal who forgave and claimed two penalties
MADRID, 27 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
FC Barcelona won (1-3) this Saturday on matchday 15 of LaLiga Santander at the La Cerámica Stadium, against Villarreal who forgave a lot and also claimed a lot from VAR, the Barça team’s first away win in the league.
Xavi Hernández’s third game was also a victory, although he suffered a lot against a ‘submarine’ that was better for many minutes. De Jong chased the 0-1 but the changes left Chukwueze 1-1. The end was for Unai Emery’s team, but Memphis took advantage of a lapse at the back and Coutinho provoked and signed the 1-3 penalty.
Barça had to suffer in the first part of La Cerámica and also at the end, with the locals claiming two penalties, but Xavi’s men achieved their first away win and 23 points, still outside of Europe. Without a goal, the Castellón team remains with 16. The culé team started well, looking for one against one and the opposite goal. Araújo’s warning to the crossbar after four minutes helped the visitors, but Villarreal also knew how to hit.
The ‘submarine’ not only had a response but also took the command away from Barça and generated a lot of danger, especially on the left wing. Eric García suffered behind, a gift from him left the option to mark Danjuma but Piqué crossed his path. The local team claimed a hand in the action of the central culé, but the rhythm of the game did not allow distractions. The Barça had two clear occasions more, of Memphis and a ball to the post of Gavi.
Then, Villarreal kept the ball and suffered the Barça team behind. Pau Torres finished off a corner without a mark, Pino threw more than one and Danjuma had a heads-up that he sent point-blank into Ter Stegen’s chest. With the resumption the yellow team fell asleep a bit and Barça hit. In a play by Abde, the ball reached the other side of Alba, who put it in a small area for the touch of Memphis that finished finishing off a goal by Frenkie de Jong.
After a VAR review of several minutes, Barça took the lead in what was pointing to a tough night. Emery’s men were slow to shake off the slump. Chukwueze and Estupiñán were the local replacements while Xavi pulled Dembélé, who did nothing, and a Mingueza who finished taking over from Alba with discomfort.
THE BARÇA KNOWS TO SUFFER
The bench improved to the premises and Chukwueze confirmed it with the 1-1 in a play to put the leg before several yellow players on the Barcelona. Before, Moi Gómez had it clear for Villarreal and the ‘submarine’ came back to life until another controversial play for the locals, who claimed a penalty from Albiol. With the draw and 15 minutes to go, Emery’s team guessed the opponent’s defensive markings and had very clear scoring chances.
Danjuma was the one who forgave the most in a culé agony that disappeared radically, in a kick from Ter Stegen that sent Estupiñán towards his goal and hunted Memphis to make it 1-2 with all the calm and quality in the world. Salvador the Dutchman, Coutinho took advantage of his minutes to give an even loose end to a Barça with new luck in Xavi.
DATASHEET.
– RESULT: VILLARREAL CF, 1 – FC BARCELONA, 3. (0-0, at half-time).
–ALIGNMENTS.
VILLARREAL CF: Rulli; Foyth, Albiol, Pau Torres, Pedraza (Estupiñán, min.65); Trigueros (Raba, min.84), Capoue, Dani Parejo; Yéremi Pino (Chukwueze, min.65), Moi Gómez and Danjuma.
FC BARCELONA: Ter Stegen; Eric García, Araújo, Piqué, Jordi Alba (Mingueza, min.71); Busquets, Nico (Coutinho, min.80), F. De Jong; Ez Abde (Dembele, min.66), Memphis and Gavi.
–GOALS:
0 – 1, min.50, De Jong.
1 – 1, min.77, Chukwueze.
1 – 2, min.88, Memphis.
1 – 3, min.94, Coutinho (penalty).
– REFEREE: Soto Grado (C. Riojano). He admonished (Pino, min.26) and Raba (min.90) by Villarreal. And Alba (min.26) and Piqué (min.44) at Barça.
–STADIUM: Estadio de la Cerámica, 19,050 spectators.